


If You Could Run, or If You Could See

by artemismoon12



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Brother Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Paraphrased, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 01:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14533848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artemismoon12/pseuds/artemismoon12
Summary: A paraphrased retelling of what happens in Infinity War when Thanos comes to attack the Asgardian Refugees. A Loki POV, and what I wish had happened.





	If You Could Run, or If You Could See

**Author's Note:**

> Rather than trying to retell the movie word for word; I paraphrased a lot of this to give it more of a fresher retelling in my potential "Loki and Thor escape the burning ship" story.

Loki grasped his side, pain blossoming under his armour as the Children of Thanos stormed the ship. They were just as imposing as they had been all those years ago when he fell. But now here they were again, but instead of by himself with hopelessness in his heart he had been found. He would not let go this time.

They had sent distress signals but it was too late. The Mad Titan’s ship was upon them already. He had tried to grab Thor and the Valkyrie, to warn Banner but they materialized on board almost halfway into his bellows over the speakers. Asgard had finally heard it’s prince but not soon enough.

His only solace was that Brunnhilde had taken a pod. He had grown to respect her and her nature. While she would never like him he could see her wounds were much like his own. The rock creature escaped with her. He had no way of knowing who else had escaped with them, too many were civilians born in peacetime, for a race of warriors Hela had cut her teeth on their best defences; now, Loki only managed to still drawn breath by the edge of his blades.

His mind was a flurry of plans and schemes, stuttering as Thanos stepped forward through the smoke. His fist glowed purple. Loki’s stomach dropped when he saw it. It made him wish he truly didn’t have the Space Stone in his dimensional pocket. Thanos would smell the lie on him like he did before. There was no way around it.

The thin wisps of shadow and towering bundles of muscle that were Thanos’ children stopped their pronouncements of mercy as they stopped their slaughter of Loki’s people. Aye they were his people now, seeing him as his brother’s equal in the fight against Hela. What irony it was that once they had accepted him that Thanos would return to rip it all away.

But not all was lost…

“Thor of Asgard.” One of the warriors called. “How you are humbled before Thanos, savior of the universe.”

“The mercy I have given is a gift you should cherish, how sweet the embrace of death is for your people.” Thanos said.

“Never!” Thor spat, trying to raise his arms to summon thunder down onto Thanos but the restraints of metal just grew tighter around him. Loki wanted to council his brother, deescalate.

“Oh Thor Odinson, you disappoint me.” Thanos said. “I thought you would be more impressive. Now, I think you and your brother have something that belong to me.”

Loki felt himself pulled up off the ground by metal clasped around his sides. It was more dignified than the last time he had faced Thanos, little more than a boy and clinging to sanity. That boy would try to impress his brother, outwit the Titan, maybe even end his life here. Loki the man was a survivor though and had learned. There was no defeating the Titan, only outrunning him.

“Thanos, your greatness has grown since we met last.” Loki said graciously, feeling his broken ribs acutely under the metal clasps. His feet dangled off the ground, but he need not focus on that.

“And yours has not Loki.” Thanos said. “I loaned you my sceptre and you disappeared. I thought I could turn you into a mad dog against earth, playing fetch for the stones. Yet you disappointed.”

“I always was a disappointment to fathers.” Loki said, keeping it light. “If you had stolen me instead of Odin, perhaps something could have been made of me.”

Thanos chuckled. “Once I would have thought so, but your mistakes on Earth prove contrary to that Loki. I am merciful though. I know you have the tesseract, give me it and I will let your brother live.”

“The Tesseract was destroyed along with Asgard, we do not have it.” Thor said, coughing on the last word. A spot of blood appeared on his lip.

“Thor is right, it was destroyed along with Hela and our home. If we had the power of the Space Stone we would not be roaming the galaxy like beggars oh Mighty Thanos.” Loki feigned, he didn’t think it would work but the contrarian part of him hoped he could get out of this easy.

“Oh but you do have it Liesmith. It calls to the gauntlet.” Thanos flexed his hand, the purple gem pulsating as it edged closer and closer to them.

“Loki tell him it’s not true!” Thor said.

Loki paused. His choices were laid before him. But others presented themselves from behind Thanos’ back.

“We do not have it. But, we have a Hulk.” He smiled, ducking his head as concentration was shattered and he and Thor fell free.

Banner’s green monster hurtled forward, never so welcome as now to be throwing Thanos and his children around. Loki rushed to his brother, ready to teleport them away. He didn’t get the chance though. Before he could even mutter the words the Hulk was beaten, tossed around like Loki had once dreamed of doing the beast himself. Now allies, he couldn’t have even imagined this as a future.

Heimdall acted faster than he. The fool used his last spell to send the Hulk home, revealing himself and sealing his fate. Loki should have told Banner to stand down. They would have been four living, now they were down to just his brother and he- a King and a Prince without a nation.

“Asgardians, what shall I do with you?” Thanos said. “Your berserkers cannot save you.”

Thanos came back towards them, amusement in his eyes. Loki didn’t want Thanos to be confident, didn’t want to be under his thrall again. He had to think.

Thor tried to rise and strike, Loki kept him down. “You spoke of mercy Thanos.”

“I am merciful, I have given death to all your people. You shall join them.”

“When we last spoke you said balance was what you brought. You gave me the spectre to collect the Tesseract, but also to bring balance to Migard and its chaotic, barbarous nature. This is not balance. Half the universe, not all.” Loki’s words came more easily when he ignored Thor’s worries. He knew what he was doing. “Allow my brother and I to leave, you have done your duty to balance.”

“And let you escape with the stone? No.” Thanos said, reaching out and snatching Thor’s head in his gauntleted hand. “I should just destroy the last Asgardian. But you were never one of them anyways were you?”

Memories of torture, confessions under heated irons against blue tinged skin flashed before his eyes.

Thor just cried out, “He is a prince of Asgard. He is my brother!” Lighting crackled around his hands but Thanos cut it off with a glow of purple to Thor’s skull.

“Give me the Tesseract or your so-called brother dies.” Thanos meant it, purple light shining from inside Thor’s skull. His screams mingled with the fires of the ship. Loki would have tried to keep up the charade but he’d known that Thanos wouldn’t believe him. Why did he try?

“Stop!” Loki cried, pulling himself to his feet. The purple wasn’t fading, Thanos wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted.

Loki twisted his wrist up, the pocket the Tesseract was hidden opening up to reveal the glowing blue cube. He couldn’t look Thor in the eye right now, his disappointment was secondary to his life.

“This is what you want Thanos, not Thor’s life.” He held it out to the Titan. It was another gem down, another step closer to the doom of the universe, but a universe without Thor was not worth the space it occupied.

Thanos said nothing. He dropped Thor, reaching for the stone. Loki felt the pulsing in the cube calling out to the gauntlet, wanting to be united with the others of its kind. Loki could appreciate that. It was why as soon as Thanos took it in his hands he darted forward, tucking his arms under Thor’s shoulders and hauling him to the side of the rubble.

“Excellent.” Thanos intoned, shattering the glass of the cube and plucking the gem forth. Two shining lights from his fist now, blue and purple twin stars against gold. His children flocked around him, fawning over his greatness.

Thor tried to get up, to stop him. “Loki we must-”

“We must not do anything.” Loki hissed. “Banner is already on his way back to his home, he will warn your little friends about Thanos but it will be no use. You cannot beat Thanos.”

“We must try.” Thor said to him.

“No we cannot.” Loki said. “Trust me.”

“When can I ever trust you brother?” Thor said, a hint of levity.

“You must.” Loki said sadly.

Thanos turned his eyes back to them. “You have delivered me the Tesseract finally. There are still two stones on earth, I wonder if those you have also stolen and hidden from me.”

“Mighty Thanos you said they call to you. You know them to be on Earth. Please, travel there and pluck them from the mortals yourself. We would like to see it.” Loki said.

“It will be a fine day, but you will not see it.” Thanos smiled, his children dematerializing in the beams from their ship. The last breath Thanos took on their ship was to close his glove, purple appearing across the ground and up the walls.

“No, Loki! We need to leave.” Thor said, grabbing his brother and holding him tight.

“I know that brother!” Loki screamed.

Last thing he felt was Thor holding him, purple flames all around them.

\---

“Wake.” A soft voice said, throwing Loki and Thor up out of delirium and onto the floor of a small craft.

Loki’s first thought was that he was alive. The second was that Thor was as well.

“Who the hell are you?” Thor demanded.

“Who are we?” The human asked, “I should be asking you the same question. Just dropping out of nowhere like a couple of giant turds against our window.”

Loki felt his chest, he had mostly healed. There was not the power he had felt before Thanos’ attack but his flesh was knitted together firmly enough. The slashes in his shiny blue leather armour could not be helped. At least he wasn’t baring the skin Thor was, attracting looks from the assorted collection of strange creatures stood around them: a Primitive with the intricate tattoos of his race; an insectoid woman who had woken them; a teenaged _Flora Collosus_ disinterested in their conversation.

There was the incensed human yelling at them, coupled with an amused racoon who took joy in Thor and the human’s verbal interplay. And then there was her…

“Quill is right, space angel.” The Primitive said inexplicably. “You have dropped on us.”

“So start talking! What did you do to the people who sent the distress call?” Quill, apparently, demanded of his brother.

“Thor we need to go.” Loki said, standing up quickly.

“Hold it Styx.” Quill said, “You’re not going anywhere before you explain what you are.”

“I am Thor, King of Asgard-”

“Thor we don’t have time.” Loki said.

“-and I am on a quest to seek revenge on those who would have-”

“Wait Thor, like God of Thunder from like old timey nonsense?” Quill asked. “What, does that make you Odin or something stupid?”

“The large one does seem handsome enough to be worshiped by your people Quill, you are often swayed by a pretty face. It is your weakness.” The Primitive said in his monotone.

“Hey, Drax cut it out.” Quill said.

“Loki, I thought it was you.” _She_ said quietly cutting through the commotion. Loki stiffened, her dark eyes piercing him with questions.

“Hey you are actually Norse gods? That’s crazy!”

“Gamora.” Loki said. “I’m surprise your companions don’t recognize your father’s handiwork.”

“I’m not affiliated with him anymore, I cannot know everywhere he has been in the universe or what destruction he continues to bring.” Gamora said.

“Your father is Thanos?” Thor said, stepping forward, crackling with anger. “He killed my people! We had so few left and he slaughtered them.”

“Hey, hey, hey dude,” Quill said stepping between Gamora and Thor. “We heard a distress call and came to help. We had nothing to do with what happened. We save the galaxy, not destroy it.”

“For a price.” The racoon chuckled.

“We did destroy half of Galvaria, but it was by accident.” The insectoid volunteered shyly.

Gamora looked at Thor directly, “My father is a monster. You have my sympathy.”

“Why the about-face? You had such fun with irons when I was at your father’s mercy. If I recall it was your idea to burn me as I lost my mind.” Loki spat. “Don’t tell me you saw the error of your ways.”

He remembered it had been her who proposed heat torture when Thanos had discovered his true nature- fire against ice burning through until he healed and the next day would begin anew.

“As much as you have.” Gamora said back. “Did you not say you had betrayed your family? And yet here you are forgiven for dancing with the demons. You have no right to judge me.”

From the looks on the crew’s face this was perhaps the first time they had heard from one of Gamora’s victims. They showed no shock at news she was Thanos’ daughter, but the torture... Well, her human seemed particularly distressed.

“Okay guys, start talking.” Quill said. “Without the Shakespeare if possible.”

“Loki, this woman hurt you?” Thor asked.

“Thanos made me hurt many people. Your brother was not special Thor of Asgard.” Gamora said.

“He is my brother-”

“We need to go Thor, we can’t stay here.” Loki interrupted. “We need to get as far away from Thanos as possible.”

“What is that purple bastard up to now?” The raccoon asked. “General destruction, or a particular revenge mission?”

“He has two Infinity Stones, he is set on collecting all of them.” Thor said. “He will be going to Earth next I fear. We must stop him.”

“Earth? Why Earth?” Quill asked.

“I am Groot.”

“Two of the Infinity Stones lie there,” Thor explained. “With four he will be unstoppable. Our only solace lies in that the Soul Stone has never been found.”

Gamora shifted, Loki’s eyes keen on her. Curious. Little assassin has been keeping secrets.

Thor continued. “And Thanos will never find the Reality Stone, it is safe in Knowhere.”

“Knowhere isn’t safe, we’ve been there.” The raccoon said. “Hell half the galaxy has been up in Knowhere’s business.”

“My father hid the stone with the Collector, he will not let Thanos get to it.” Thor said.

A chorus of shouts echoed how Loki felt. Thanos could and would get to it. No matter how trustworthy the Collector was. Like the Grandmaster he was ancient, but age bows to experience and there was no one as experienced as Thanos in the deals of death.

“You gave him the Space Stone didn’t you?” Gamora asked Loki.

“It was that or my brother, there was no other choice. You know your father, he gets what he wants.” Loki said, looking back to Thor. “Which is why we need to run. There is no bargaining with the Mad Titan. Even more information.”

Gamora went still at the last part, whispered for her benefit. If he threatened her precious human would she offer up the Soul Stone? How different were they after all? Did she even have it, or was she foolish enough to think she could keep it from Thanos?

“You already bargained with him for our lives brother, why can we not be successful again? But with the persuasion of a hammer to the head.”

“Because he just killed all of your subjects!” Loki said. “We cannot fight him.”

“But Earth is home to the Avengers, they will protect the Stones on Earth.”

“Who are the Avengers?” Quill’s voice grated, a false depth added to it as he looked up at Thor. Loki knew the feeling of not measuring up but this was pathetic.

“Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” Thor answered.

“Like Kevin Bacon?” The insectoid asked.

Loki paid her no mind. “Thor beating the Chitari do not make them a formidable force.”

“They also beat you.” Thor pointed out.

“I wanted to be captured.”

“Oh I’m learning things about you Skinny. Too much.” The raccoon laughed.

“I can skin you little beast.” Loki growled.

“So scary, I’m quaking in my boots beetle man.” The raccoon said.

“Woah, come on you two. I can’t even follow half of what is going on.” Quill said. “But if these Avengers can stop Thanos on Earth that frees us up to go get this fancy rock from Knowhere right?”

“It would be a fool’s errand to seek Knowhere. We need something to stop Thanos, and for that I need my hammer.”

“Thor…” Loki warned.

“We will take your ship, the small one, and be on our way.”

“No, hold on.” Quill said, his false voice again put on like an ill-fitting coat. “This is my ship and you can’t just take our pod. Where are you even going?”

“Nidavellir. To the dwarves. They can forge a weapon powerful enough to defeat Thanos, stones or not.” Thor said, surety in his voice. He could not save their father, nor their people, but he could sure as hell avenge them Loki thought with a chuckle.

“Don’t think you can just take our pod without a pilot.” The raccoon hopped down from his perch on a pile of boxes. “I’m going with you.”

“Aye rabbit, a pilot would aid us in our journey.” Thor said to Loki’s amusement. The raccoon was offended but he seemed to think Thor strange rather than poking fun at him.

“Woah, who said you could just take the pod Rocket?” Quill interrupted.

“Rocket we need to stay together.” Gamora insisted. “Especially if Thanos is out there with two Infinity Stones.”

“Because it’s on the other end of the Galaxy from that madman and I’m not stupid.” Rocket said, “Come on Groot.”

The _Flora Colossus_ kept his head down at the game in his hands, ignoring Rocket’s admonishments. Quill’s yammering was also ceaseless and Loki had to tune it out. He kept his eyes on Gamora though, her mouth firmly pressed into a line. He had not known if they would see one another again, but as she pointed out, if he could change…

“Stab your father for me won’t you wench?” Loki shot at her, unheard to the rest of them.

“I will, but not for you Shapeshifter.” Gamora said back.

“Loki!” Thor’s voice boomed behind them. “Nidavellir awaits!”

“Be careful Rocket! Goodbye Groot.” The insectoid woman called out to the pod as it pulled away; the Primitive next to her matching her sentiments. Quill tucked his arm around Gamora, looking at the pod warily. Her eyes held shadows Loki felt echoed in his own heart.

\---

“I’ve lost everything. My home, my people, my father, my mother, my best friends, all I have left is Loki.” Thor said to the little creature in the back of the pod.

Loki looked down at the game Groot was playing, smiling to himself. For all the hell they had been through Thor still was holding onto his good spirits. Before Sakaar he had not thought they could make it this far. He had no words of comfort, his silver tongue useless against the loss of Heimdall who never trusted him anyways. Perhaps it was good they were bonding with these new allies.

“I am Groot.”

“I’m just trying to figure out the boundaries of this game creature.” Loki said.

“I am Groot!”

“I am not bothering you!”

“I am Groot!” He mocked.

“You will pay for that!”

Thor’s tone behind them was mournful, but not hopeless. They had faced the Dark Elves, they had lost mother, they survived the Grandmaster, they defeated Hela- Thor truly thought they could do it, add Thanos to their list of fallen foes. Perhaps he thought of Valkyrie, her vicious courage echoing somewhere out in the reaches of the cosmos with a supposed handful of their people. If even one citizen remained, Asgard could endure.

Thor called Rocket the Captain, so as two leaders to one another they planned a strategy while their lieutenants fought with petty barbs.

“I am not!”

“I am Groot!”

“Are not!”

“I am Groot!”

“You foul creature!”

“Loki no!”

“Groot come off it! Don’t do that, you don’t know where that guy’s nose has been!”

\---

Nidavellir was dead.

When the speck grew into the spinning rings of their childhood remembrance Loki felt his heart grow colder, like his blood-father’s grasp had taken hold of him again.

“Thanos was here.” Thor said looking at the desiccated ruins of the once great forge of the cosmos. “This forge has been alive for millennia, fueled by a neutron star, but now the star cools. No one could have done that except Thanos.”

“We should leave. There is nothing for us here.” Loki said, feeling the Mad Titan’s grip grow tighter as they approached the floating mass.

“I ain’t afraid of no ghosts, Beets.” Rocket said, steering them down into the darkness. “If there is something Sparky can use to smash Gamora’s dad then I’m all for it. That guy sounds like bad news.”

“I am Groot.”

“I concur.” Thor agreed. “We must try, perhaps some ore remains, something we can make into a new hammer.”

Rocket made to land them on the floor of the forge when they were knocked out of the air. Glass flew, cracking faces against metal siding and throwing them from the cockpit of their small pod.

“Thor!” Loki called, seeing his brother slam into the ground below. His cloak, torn though it was, caught him against a spiked beam. He hung in the air, looking down at the small crew they’d acquired.

Groot pulled himself up from under the rubble, Rocket rushing to his side only to be brushed away. “Groot, come on let me check you’re okay.”

A stranger duo Loki could not name. Even his brother and he felt saner in comparison to the troublesome rodent and his twig son.

“Asgardian!” A roar came, the same arm that knocked them from the air came down upon Thor’s bloodied head.

The dwarf plucked Thor from the ground, throwing him down the forge with a sickening crack. “You were supposed to save us!”

Thor was swung around again. Loki struggled, a knife appearing in his hand to slice himself free of his cloak. Since the fight with Hela his reserves of magic had still not replenished themselves. He had to try though. A second knife formed a pair, in his hands as he rushed forward against the towering dwarf.

“Where was Asgard! Where was the great and mighty Thor when Thanos’ forces slaughtered us?” The dwarf raged, throwing Thor again as he struggled to get away.

Rocket ducked as Loki used Groot’s shoulder to jump up and stab the dwarf in the shoulder. “Stay away from my brother!”

“Another!” The dwarf yelled. “So many Asgardians and yet none to help us!”

“Technically I’m not Asgardian.” Loki said bitterly, the dwarf finally ceasing its attack on Thor and turning to him. Thor’s joy at his brother defending him grew dimmer at that pronouncement.

The shaggy hair covering the dwarf’s face parted for a second as he reared back to hit Loki. A familiar face peered through with maddened eyes and tearful frowns.

“Eitir?” Thor asked, softly, like trying not to startle a bilgesnipe with too harsh a tone. “What happened here?”

The great smith let out a cry, folding himself onto the ground. Loki knew that look well: loss, grief… he wondered how long until Thor and he would wear it as well. Thanos had been here. Thanos would make them all feel pain.

Eitir revealed the forging of Thanos’ great gauntlet, capable of directing the power of the Infinity Stones. Loki had not realized the gauntlet was so young; it felt as old as the Stones themselves, Odin had a version of it in the vaults after all. So recent a passion of Thanos’ then was this mass destruction of the universe. How long had it taken him to rise to power? How long did it take for the Mad Titan to grasp the universe by the throat and squeeze until all were screaming for his so called mercy?

Eitir brought forth the mould of what he claimed could stop Thanos: Stormbreaker.

“Bit much.” Rocket chuckled.

“Easier for your mortal ears to process than Mjolinir.” Loki smiled.

“I’ll have you know, I plan on being immortal cause I aint ever gonna die Beets.” Rocket shot up at him. “Aint nothing out there like me cept me.”

“You might find there are more than a single wisecracking pest in the universe. You’ve never met Anthony Stark have you?” Loki asked.

“Who?”

“Exactly.” Loki laughed to himself. He’d feel jealous he didn’t get the chance for Eitir to forge him a weapon of his own, but the idea of going against Thanos made him want to grab his brother and flee to the farthest reaches of the universe- places were the void stretched for eons and Thanos could not find them. But Thor had hope they could bring Thanos’ darkness down, and in recent years his brother had been right as often as he had been wrong. If Thor remained, so would he.

“Loki.” Thor’s voice shook him out of his dark imaginings. “We must relight the star.”

“Trying to bring the sun back into our lives brother?” Loki asked.

“The forge must be relit, it cannot do so without the power of the star.” Eitir explained.

“And how the hell do you propose we do that?” Rocket asked, Groot at his shoulder mourning for his shattered game. “These rings are rusted, nothing short of a miracle will make them move again.”

“What did your little humans say brother?” Loki asked, “Miracles are acts of god? How fortunate there happens to be two of them right here.”

Thor smiled at him, plans flying between them unspoken before Rocket could even mock him for his arrogance.

Before they knew it Loki was strapped to the back of the shattered pod, Rocket in the cracked pilot’s chair. Thor threw his brother the long chain to attach to the crushed thrusters.

“This isn’t going to work. We need to be a lot faster to restart the gravitational pull with equipment this old.” Rocket shouted, pressing buttons anyways.

“Oh it will. Thor, let us fly!” Loki shouted. His brother did not spin his hammer so fast until he flew for those skills to simply vanish in the months since Hela’s advance. He’d seen his brother do the same with enemies, or toys in their youth, or trees in the gardens of Asgard until it slammed through the walls and brought their mother down on their heads. Thor explained he simply wanted to see how hard he could throw them. Loki said he wanted to see what would happen.

“Hold on brother!” Thor laughed, sharing a look with Loki as he started swinging the craft.

Now with the push of Loki’s magic to restart the thrusters the buttons glowed green inside the cockpit. Rocket yelled at them, but it was working nonetheless. Thor’s feet left the ground, hitting the rings again to dig in and pull the rusted mechanisms forward.

They creaked, groaning with the effort of moving after years of misuse.

“Come on Loki, put your heart into it!” Thor yelled, holding onto the cable with muscles straining.

“I’m trying you great oaf!” Loki called back, feeling himself draining as the thrusters own residual energy came back online. “The rodent is the one who needs to hit the wave accelerator!”

“Getting to it Slick!” Rocket yelled, flipping the switch to move the ring with the momentum of all three forces working together.

“It’s working!” The heard Eitir’s voice scream joyfully. The rings started shifting, Rocket pressing the steering column forward as Loki pushed and Thor held.

The gravitational energy of the spinning rings picked up, Rocket steering them forward to pull the rings along. As they picked up speed the star glowed, a bright orange and blue it hurt to look at for too long. Loki had never seen a neutron up close, only ever from afar as they burst and exploded in brilliant deaths from lightyears away. Mother would press the telescope to his hands in the Royal Observatory, naming all the stars that Yggdrasil touched with its creeping tendrils. When he had fallen, all he had ever seen was the cracked husks of leftover elements after Thanos had touched those brilliant red giants. No rainbows of lights, just death and darkness.

“The star is awakening!” Thor yelled.

It was beautiful, bright and big with the heat of the small, dense sun that it was. Loki laughed, Rocket cheered. The iris of the mechanism opened, shooting condensed energy straight into the heart of the forge.

And then it all went dark again, even Groot’s voice carried in the silence of empty space. “I am Groot.”

“No we’re not done here Groot! We can’t go home until the bumblebee brothers here get their fancy bastard butcher device!” Rocket called out.

“The iris must be held open!”

The solution to Eitir’s woe was answered before Loki could stop him; Thor bounding towards the iris with determination.

Loki hadn’t enough energy to teleport, but he threw the butt of his dagger towards the back of Thor’s head. “Thor you idiot, you’ll die!”

“You know stabbing me only works with the blade.” Thor laughed.

“I’m not trying to lose you here.” Loki called out, floating untethered in the weak gravity.

“And neither I you Loki. Someone must help the light cut through the darkness. It cannot shine on its own.” Thor said, pushing off towards the iris.

Loki made to follow him but he felt a small thumb and paw against his arm. “Come on, the big guy is going to need some help in that forge.”

“But-”

“No buts, now you and Groot can help me work the bellows.” Rocket pushed, the rings moving slowly around them. “Let’s make this easier for your brother.”

Indeed it did. Eitir’s forge relit with Thor’s efforts holding it open. Loki clenched his hands onto the bellows, the three of them watching behind the giant cauldron as Eitir poured the molten metal into the mould and threw it to the ground. The clatter of it hitting the ground coincided with Thor’s pained scream as he let go, hurtling back into the forge and slamming against the ground harder than Eitir could have.

“The handle, where is the handle?” Eitir yelled.

Loki didn’t care. “Thor!”

His knees protested as he skidded down to his brother’s side. Thor’s burns were already healing, Asgardian physiology was a hell of a gift in these trying times. Still it was painful to look at, Thor’s smile a weak thing.

“You didn’t think I could do it little brother.” Thor laughed.

“You scared me you great oaf.” Loki said, clenching his fists around Thor’s arm caught between wanting to shake him and hugging him.

“It will take more than that to kill me Loki, you know that.”

“I know, I’ve tried.”

Thor sat up, his skin tender as Loki helped him. “And how successful you were.”

“Shut up.”

“Thor of Asgard.” Eitir said from behind them. “The tree has made it so. Stormbreaker is yours to wield.”

Loki looked over his shoulder. In Eitir’s hands was a Warhammer Odin would have sent them to massacre a planet for; some may call it an axe, but the blade only compensated for the hard blunt edge on the other side, meant for smashing enemies in droves. It glowed with a faint rainbow, it’s connection to the bifrost unmistakable. It held the glow of the star outside the forge, with all the majesty of an ancient relic.

“That sure is a piece of kit.” Rocket whistled, Groot beside him with his arm already growing back. Loki thought the wood looked familiar.

“There is no time to lose Odinson, you must take it and avenge my people. Save us from the Mad Titan, save the universe.” Eitir pleaded.

“I will.” Thor vowed, reaching his hands out to accept the shimmering weapon.

A crack of thunder sounded as Thor’s fingers touched the weapon, his power channeled through the mighty weapon. His eye went white and blue, wounds crackling with the same light as they healed in rainbows from Stormbreaker’s might.

“Damn, Sparky might not be the best thing to call you.” Rocket quipped. “Is there time for me to get one of those?”

Eitir looked disdainfully down at Rocket. “No. But I have some vambraces that might fit you, and a chestplate for your tree son.”

“Not my son.” Rocket said as the tarnished but solid metal was dropped into his waiting hands.

“And you,” Eitir said looking disdainfully down at Loki. “I may have a spear left from Thanos’ rampages that might suit you.”

“Whatever you think will help.” Loki said, never one to reject a well-crafted gift.

“It was a prototype for Odin’s staff, how fitting for his son to wield it.” The metal was wrapped in a decayed lather grip, but the head of it was still wickedly sharp as the day it was first forged. Not as mighty as Stormbreaker, but well enough to reach farther in a fight than his blades.

Eitir was about to drop it into Loki’s outstretched hands when he looked at him strangely. “Wait, you said you were not Asgardian?”

“Oh I’m not Asgardian, but I am an Odinson.” Loki looked at Thor who smiled widely at him. “And we will do you proud.”

“The universe has no other option than your success sons of Odin.” Eitir proclaimed, Loki grasping the proffered spear. It held no magic, but was warm to the touch. “Go forth with your companions and bring glory to your names. Bring Thanos low, and avenge my people!”

“We will.” Thor intoned, raising Stormbreaker high.

And in a crack of thunder the rainbow bridge surrounded them. And they were gone.

\---

CRACK.

The rush of the bifrost pushed them onto the ruined jungle landscape within a breath. Loki didn’t have time to process. Rocket to his right with guns already out and ready. Groot’s battlecry rattling in their ears, his branches growing into a thicket already to be used. Thor’s grip on Stormbreaker was tight, Loki to his side holding the dwarven spear like it had always been in his hands. They threw a look around, the bifrost cutting a line of enemies out before the monsters could rush them.

“Thor?!” Captain Rogers’ voice cut through the battle. “Wait, Loki!?”

“Beets take the left flank, Groot and I will follow after you and Sparky take out the big bad!” Rocket yelled as he hopped onto Groot’s back and charged.

Loki paid no mind to Captain Rogers, “I am a Prince you rodent!”

“I’m a Captain Beets!”

The Avengers and he had no time to play catch up, it was obvious who Thanos’ forces on Migard were. The six armed creatures overrunning the human foot-soldiers with practiced ease. It was not the first time they had destroyed a planet, and it would not be the last if Thor did not prevail.

Stormbreaker was already off in a crackle of white and blue lightning, cutting through foes like a hot knife through fat. The excess fell to his brother easily, the fights of their youth echoing through his mind and Loki allowed himself to laugh as he swung the gifted spear, following Thor like all those years past. It was like nothing had changed.

A dagger materlized, thrown through a line of enemies. He slashed with one hand and perried with the other, elbow wrapped around the spear. It slipped through flesh, following the trail of destruction Thor left. Loki ducked, digging his blade into the belly of a beast who would see him dead. Live another day, fight another fight.

He swung, green fire following the reach of the spear and sending sprays of blood splashing across the grass below them. It took a moment for Loki to stand at his brother’s back, Thor rising up to reach the outer perimeter with lightning and Loki to take the closer ones with flame.

“A good blow brother!” Thor said, throwing Stormbreaker out to sweep a line of enemies and have it return neatly to his hand.

“Thor! Watch out!” Banner was here, speeding past in a cruel mockery of his beast’s size in Stark’s gaudy colour scheme.

Thor ducked; Loki struck, pinning the creature which tried to decapitate his King like a butterfly on a board- its limbs weakly flapping as it died.

“Banner, where is your green beast?” Loki yelled across the field. He poured his magic into a shield above Thor’s head, slicing with his other hand. Green flames licked across the ground, razing the ground and with it the enemies in screams of hisses.

“Aye friend, the Hulk would be an asset!” Thor took out another enemy, flipping Loki over his shoulders to decapitate another three with a swing of his spear. The old rhythm singing through their coordinated movements.

“I’m trying!” Banner yelled before getting lost to a Black Order member slamming into his armour and pushing them down into the ravine.

Thor and Loki cut through another swath of enemies. Loki saw the Widow, a dark warrior, and a witch take down Proxima, one of the stronger of Thanos’ Children. He nodded in approval, though he did not know if the Widow saw him. She was stronger than he had given her credit for, though he always knew she was above her peers- like a Sif of Migard.

An explosion rocked the battlefield. The man dressed like a cat shouted something to his forces about falling back… the All Speak must be failing him. Captain Rogers translated the meaning well enough.

“Protect Vision!”

Who Vision was he had no clue. But he felt the pulse of another explosion; and the energy signature…

“Thor! It’s the Mind Stone! Thanos must be coming for it.” Loki said, grabbing his brother by the arm.

“Then we must protect it.” Thor thrust Stormbreaker into the air and leapt.

Loki had to choice but the hurry after him; cursing, he’d never thought he’d make it this far but now that he had…

He threw out his hand for another dagger as he slashed with the spear. It didn’t come. Shit. He gestured again, running towards the thick jungle underbrush and trying again, cutting through enemies on the way.

The dagger came this time, slower than before. He’d been drained before. He thought he had enough to make it through but apparently he hadn’t healed as well as he thought after Sakaar and Hela. He didn’t think his spark would make it to sundown.

“Thor!” He called, reaching the underbrush.

The Avengers and other humans Loki couldn’t recognize were there, circled around a red man lying on the ground. He couldn’t see Banner, or Stark, or the archer… but Stark’s friend, the Widow, and the Captain were here. The witch from before was crouched over the red man with a yellow stone glowing in his forehead.

The Mind Stone. Oh Norns they had to leave. It was the ship all over again; but here there was so Valkyrie to get even one of their number away, now they were all gathered around a prize for the taking.

“Thor, we have to go.” Loki pulled at his brother’s arm, feeling himself go pale. “Thanos is coming.”

“Which is precisely why we cannot leave. Thanos must be stopped. Imagine what damage that could be wrought if he repossesses the Mind Stone.” Thor stood his ground.

Rocket appeared, Groot beside him. The cat man and the warrior woman as well circled around.

“What strange allies we have.” The cat man said, eyeing Loki and the Guardians.

“Wanda destroy the stone!” The red man said, gesturing towards himself.

“No!” The witch said, holding herself back. “I will not kill you.”

Loki growled in frustration; they had not the time. “Your precious mortals stole the sceptre from me in the first place, if they truly are the mightiest they can keep it. I cannot lose you brother. We need to go.”

“What the hell are you doing here Loki?” Stark’s friend of whom Loki never learned the name spoke up. “Thanos sent you to attack New York, why are you so scared of him?”

“The same reason I feared him back when I attacked your precious city; because the Mind Stone is a powerful artifact and it should never be wielded by a mad man impressing your will against you.” Loki gripped Thor’s arm. “He will darken the sky and steal the light from your heart until you have no hope left. He is fear, he is death. He is the monster that our parents should have told us about at night.”

He felt himself echo his own words to Odin years ago. He thought once a Frost Giant was the worst thing he could be, but now? Now it was losing Thor, being apart from him, the one person who loved him truly without pretentions. And now with Thanos on their doorstep he couldn’t pretend Thor’s misplaced hope would work.

“How poetic of you Loki, perhaps there is hope for you little godling.”

Loki didn’t have to guess who it was before he turned. The roar of the vortex made by the Space Stone familiar enough to his ears as his heart calcified in his chest. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think. The Avengers leapt at him only to be pushed away without a fight.

Loki turned to meet Thanos’ eyes- and the blaze of five gems on his fist. No.

“I believe there is something that belongs to me here.” Thanos said, purposefully striding forward towards the red man of whom the witch was already preforming a spell upon. They were in agony but Loki couldn’t pay them heed- merely stall.

He’d known all he could do was run. Thanos always caught up; sometimes it was years before he got his prey, but he did not raise the most dangerous killers in the known universe to fail. If it wasn’t Proxima, or the Maw, or Gamora, it would be Thanos himself. Loki had known he’d face death at Thanos’ hand, but not now. Why hadn’t Thor run with him, prolonged the inevitable? Thanos could not forgive betrayal, could not forget a slight.

“Would you believe me if I said the gem on your hand wasn’t the real Time Gem oh Mighty Thanos?” Loki asked weakly, trying to conjure what he could with his remaining green light. It sputtered and died.

“Oh Loki, how pathetic you are. What a joke of a minion you were in the end. A master of illusion failing at his own tricks.” Thanos said, batting away bullets from Rocket and a metal armed man and turning them to butterflies. It would have been beautiful if Loki didn’t feel helpless, his feet frozen as Thanos reached out to clasp his hand to his throat.

He didn’t want it to end like this. He heard Thor screaming but his last plan was all he had. The half conjured blade behind his back, the only guide Thor would have to bury the Stormbreaker into Thanos’ neck.

“Thor…” Loki choked, his feet kicking uselessly in the air. He gasped for breath but finding none. “The sun—will- shine—on us—a-again.”

As he felt the last vestiges of strength leave him he stabbed the dagger into Thanos’ neck; Thor following his lead. Aim for the head. He had to have aimed for the head.

The chest was not quite good enough.

If Loki had lived to see it he would have seen Thanos twisting his hand back, the time stone playing it’s part perfectly. Had he lived to see it, he would have seen himself fall from Thanos’ grip again, tossed into Thor’s way before Thor could even sink Stormbreaker into his flesh.

If Loki had lived he would have seen Wanda’s spine broken and her twitching form swept aside to pluck the last gem from the red man’s head.

Loki would have seen the ashes as Thanos snapped.

Loki didn’t see it though.

But his brother did.

Thor cradled his brother’s body, pleading with him to wake up, to stop pretending. Thor shook him, focusing on nothing else but the flesh under his hands growing cold, the unseeing eyes he looked into. Thor had seen this before, he’d seen Loki die before. Loki pointed him towards the right place, but he couldn’t hit the target. Loki’s daggers flew as true as his words- Thanos did come.

But the sun would never shine on them again. Not like this.

Natasha fell to her knees beside them, looking at the spot where Wanda had stood screaming for Vision. Steve looked around like Bucky would reappear, telling them it was all a joke. Rocket couldn’t speak, Groot reaching out but never touching ever again.

If Loki could see he would know his brother at least had something to hold; something to mourn and bury while his comrades felt for ghosts. He would know that the tears Thor had been holding in for years finally fell, finally came for his beloved brother. All the sorrows, all the heartache since he had been cast out all those years ago realized.

If Loki could see, he would see a broken man.

All Thor saw was his brother.

His baby brother.

**Author's Note:**

> I, Islay of Migard, can accept that Loki was killed for good. I however cannot accept Loki would be so foolish as to try and outwit Thanos the Mad Titan with a halfbaked scheme of stabbing him in the throat so openly. Also that “no resurrections” line felt cheap unless Thanos knows about his multiple faked deaths. 
> 
> I felt there was a missed oppertunity to have Thor and Loki be wacky brothers while still having angst. After all, the Russos let us know that half the Asgardians survived along with Valkyrie, so Thor moping about being the Last Asgardian is some bull in Infinity War. But again, he's moping, not mourning. Since the beginning of Thor I we don't get to really see Thor mourn; nor do I think he will be allowed to mourn in Infinity War II as the Avengers still see Loki as a villian- perhaps Bruce will comfort Thor, but Natasha and Steve will not understand how far Thor's brother has come and will value thier own trauma over the collective. 
> 
> As I was writing I realized why the Russos placed Loki's death so soon; it does make sense for pacing in a larger ensemble piece; because giving Thor the mourning he deserves, and highlighting Loki's character development in a way I properly would have liked honestly would have turned it into a Thor IV- and you can't do that to Avengers III. So after a day or two of stewing and writing I am a little less irritated; but I still like my imagined version of Loki making it through a lot of Infinity War. 
> 
> Additionally as I was writing, I saw this other missed oppertunity to have Loki and Gamora know one another; as most of Thanos' victims hate Gamora because she helped Thanos, but none seem to directly have been hurt from her actions. I liked the idea of the Guardians meeting an actual victim of Gamora; but both Gamora and Loki have turned it around since their days under Thanos. Juxtaposing Groot & Rocket against Loki & Thor also gave me joy to write and imagine.
> 
> I accept Loki died. I do not accept Gamora's death- she deserved better. I am going to write a story where she and Peter live happily ever after and have a million little kids who have her hair and Peter's smile. She had less appearances than Loki; she had more of an arc to continue going through. Also... just demographically that leaves the Guardians a sausages fest again with Mantis as the token rather than one of two sooooo. 
> 
> Anyway, point is I wanted Loki throughout the entire movie.   
> Good movie though.   
> Also fixed the problem of how Thanos can just know where the Stones are, yet also has to be led to them, despite just sort of “poofing” next to Vision and onto Knowhere.


End file.
